Also in The News of August 25, material shortage leads to bridge closure, the ghost of Jacob, phony accounts, garages, cars destroyed, 'shameful' theft

A construction material shortage has forced the closure of the MacPhee Bridge on the Glen Robertson Road (County Road 10), east of Alexandria for the next several weeks. Traffic is being detoured on County Roads 23, 25 and 34. The span over the Delisle River has been undergoing a $1 million makeover that was scheduled to wrap up by fall. 

Also in The News of August 18, real estate cools, spinning for kids, crackdown on drunk drivers

Life sentence for murder, standoff ends in arrest

Also in The News of August 11, COVID can't deter the Fair, holes-in-one, pastoral notes, views on religion, backlash, and vaccines

August 5, shortly before 1 a.m. Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Ontario Provincial Police officers responded to a disturbance at a residence on Main Street in Alexandria.

The investigation indicated that an altercation occurred between two individuals involving a handgun. The accused individual pointed a firearm (later identified as an air pistol) at the victim. The altercation continued and the accused attacked the victim and shot the victim with the pellet gun. The victim and a witness fled the residence. The accused remained in the residence refusing to comply with demands to exit the home.

Shortly after 6 a.m. with the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), Emergency Response Team (ERT), Canine Unit, Provincial Liaison Team (PLT), Crisis negotiator and SD&G OPP officers resolved the situation and the accused surrendered without incident.

The accused, a 25 year-old male of Alexandria, Ontario was arrested and is charged with;

- Assault with a weapon - Criminal Code - Sec. 267(a)

-Pointing a firearm - CC - Sec. 87

-Discharge Air gun or pistol with intent - CC - Sec. 244.1(a)

- Assault - CC - Sec. 266

- Criminal harassment - Threatening conduct - CC - Sec. 264(2)(d)

The accused was held in custody and was scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Cornwall August 5.

Also in The News of August 4, art at the museum, remembering Dorothy Dumbrille, and 'War zone' flak.

Kaleb Bartlett and Juliana are ready for the August 7 drive-through edition of the Williamstown Fair.

In this week's edition of The News, we pay tribute to the many volunteers who have kept the fair tradition alive.

Also in The News of July 28, we have more vaccines, enterprising sisters, drafted by the Habs, a new millionaire, a red moon, and your views on the Marsh and the Church.

Also in the July 21 edition of The News, we have unsafe water advisories, an update on the red hot real estate market, and all sorts of views.

John Alan Perkins of Summerstown has won $1 million in the June 18 LOTTO MAX lottery.

A 66-year-old grandfather, Mr. Perkins said he was out running errands with his wife when he discovered his big win. “My wife was at Walmart when I went for my second vaccine and I decided to check my ticket while on the way to pick her up. I used the Ticket Checker and when I saw all the zeroes, I couldn’t believe my eyes!”

When he found his wife in the store, his eyes were filled with tears and she immediately thought something was wrong. “She thought I had bad news about our daughter who was due to have her baby any moment. When I told her we won the lottery she didn’t believe it and started crying tears of joy.”

Mr. Perkins had just purchased a new car, and the day he discovered his win he went back to the dealership to make an upgrade.

“I plan to share this win with our children. It was also nice to make the trip to Toronto to get my prize with my wife. She was treated to a day at the salon while I came here to collect my cheque,” he remarked.

“Due to the Cooper Marsh Conservators’ (CMC) recent change in focus, the Raisin Region Conservation Authority (RRCA) Board of Directors has decided to terminate its relationship with the volunteer group. This RRCA did not make this decision lightly and deeply regrets that it cannot continue to work with CMC.”

The statement was issued after the Conservators protested against the RRCA's decision to not object to a proposal to set up a campground near Cooper Marsh.

"Any future plans for a campground are still subject to review and approvals. The RRCA will continue to review and provide input on any future development proposals on land adjacent to the wetland," the conservation authority says.

“For context, CMC has assisted the RRCA with fundraising, educational and recreational activities at the Cooper Marsh Conservation Area and Visitors Centre since 1997. The RRCA sincerely appreciates the CMC’s numerous contributions over the years that have greatly enhanced Cooper Marsh,” says the authority.

“Over the last several months, CMC has been involved in political activities which are inconsistent with the RRCA’s statutory mandate. In general, no conservation authority in Ontario may, directly or indirectly, engage in political activities regarding development projects. The RRCA’s role in development projects that fall within its jurisdiction is circumscribed by the Conservation Authorities Act. Any departure from this clearly defined statutory role exposes the RRCA to legal jeopardy and negatively impacts its ability to deliver programs and services that further the conservation, restoration, development, and management of natural resources in watersheds in Ontario,” the RRCA statement continues.

“Starting in late 2020, the RRCA and the CMC have worked behind the scenes to try and save their important relationship. The RRCA has gone to great lengths to explain to CMC that it cannot be affiliated with a group focused on political opposition to local development projects. Unfortunately, CMC’s focus has remained political in nature. This focus has made continued collaboration impossible. With great regret, as of July 16, 2021, the RRCA has elected to terminate its relationship with the CMC. The RRCA is no longer affiliated with the group in any capacity.”

“Since the 1980s, the RRCA has owned and protected the land now known as Cooper Marsh Conservation Area. The RRCA will continue to conserve, manage, and enhance the treasured local natural heritage and maintain the trail system for the community to explore.”

The group has planned a 1 p.m. July 19 protest at the South Glengarry Township office.

More coverage in the July 21 edition of The News.

Also in The News of July 14, soccer returns, vaccination gap, two seek OFA post, history on the run.

The Ontario government will move the province into Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopen at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 16, 2021.

Face coverings in indoor public settings and physical distancing requirements remain in place throughout Step Three. This is in alignment with the advice on personal public health measures issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada, while also accounting for Ontario specific information and requirements. Face coverings will also be required in some outdoor public settings as well.

Step Three of the Roadmap focuses on the resumption of additional indoor services with larger numbers of people and restrictions in place. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 100 people with limited exceptions;
• Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people;
• Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted with physical distancing;
• Indoor dining permitted with no limits on the number of patrons per table with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect;
• Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities to open subject to a maximum 50 per cent capacity of the indoor space. Capacity for indoor spectators is 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 1,000 people, whichever is less. Capacity for outdoor spectators is 75 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 15,000 people, whichever is less;
• Indoor meeting and event spaces permitted to operate with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect and capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity or 1,000 people, (whichever is less);
• Essential and non-essential retail with with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;
• Personal care services, including services requiring the removal of a face covering, with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;
• Museums, galleries, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, landmarks, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos/bingo halls, amusement parks, fairs and rural exhibitions, festivals, with capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity indoors and 75 per cent capacity outdoors;
• Concert venues, cinemas, and theatres permitted to operate at:
  • up to 50 per cent capacity indoors or a maximum limit of 1,000 people for seated events (whichever is less)
  • up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum limit of 5,000 people for unseated events (whichever is less); and up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum of 15,000 people for events with fixed seating (whichever is less).
• Real estate open houses with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres; and
• Indoor food or drink establishments where dance facilities are provided, including nightclubs and restobars, permitted up to 25 per cent capacity or up to a maximum limit of 250 people (whichever is less).

Also in The News of July 7, a small but voracious menace, Salute To Excellence, contentious campground approved

Brandon Smeltzer, who admitted to killing Émilie Maheu of Green Valley in 2018 has been convicted of first-degree murder.

The man who admitted to killing Émilie Maheu of Green Valley in 2018 has been convicted of first-degree murder. Brandon Smeltzer, 27, originally from Bayside, Nova Scotia, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of the 26-year old woman, the mother of a daughter who was 22 months old at the time of her death. In her verdict handed down Monday, Ontario Superior Court Judge Laurie Lacelle concluded that Smeltzer had planned to kill his former partner, whose body was found October 13, 2018, two days after she had been reported missing. He will be sentenced August 5. Smeltzer had admitted to killing Ms. Maheu and dumping her body in a farm field in South Glengarry. “I did the crime, I will do the time,” he blurted out when he made his court appearance in 2018. But later, during a lengthy trial, his defence lawyer sought a second-degree murder charge, arguing that his client acted spontaneously. The first-degree murder conviction means that Smeltzer will not be able to apply for parole for a minimum of 25 years. If he had been convicted of second-degree murder, he would have been eligible to seek parole several years earlier. Ms. Maheu, who had a daughter with the accused, had been reported missing October 11 at 8:30 p.m., about seven hours after she left the Alexandria chiropractic clinic where she worked. Her lifeless body was found on Concession 3 east of Lancaster at 11:30 a.m. October 13. During earlier court appearances, Smeltzer had said that he was suffering from cancer, a claim that proved to be false. In 2015, Smeltzer had pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman in Bayside. He received a conditional discharge and was placed on probation for a year. Smeltzer and Ms. Maheu met while they both worked at Mills Heavy Hauling near Halifax. She had returned to this area to start a new life with her daughter  in 2018. The murder rocked the area. At the same time, the crime brought the community together in grief and raised awareness of domestic violence. Shortly after her murder, about 200 people, many of whom did not know the victim,  attended a candlelight vigil in memory of Émilie Maheu.

We also have a tribute to Robin Flockton, remembering Gilles Roy, 20 Questions with J.T. Hay, riding for sick kids, skatepark expansion, Habs' fans show their colours, and all sorts of your views.